A Bounty of Berries, Nuts, & Seeds
If you're working in the yard, now is a great time to discover what all those plants, bushes, trees and plants are. Is it friend or foe? A food source or poisonous? Common or rare? The seeds, nuts, berries, and even fallen leaves make identification easier this time year. When I surveyed my backyard I was astonished by the different species of berries I found - 1 of them poisonous - which I got rid of. Around my property I've found 374 species so far - more than 100 of the plants! And I love how I can get more info on them by clicking on the species name so I know whether to cherish or remove them.
Tips:
- Take a picture of the fruit/seed/nut with the leaves if you can.
- Then take a picture of the bark/stem with branching.
- Then take a picture of whole plant/bush/tree. This helps with ID & helps you find it again.
- Always take pictures in the same order so you know when you're starting a new species.
- If the camera has a hard time focusing on what you want, hold your hand behind what your photographing - this should clear the focal point.
- Narrow your search by choosing a type of plant to look for - bushes with berries, blooming flowers, or nuts, etc. Find & photograph those.
- You can add your photos to iNaturalist as you go, but this can be tedious. Instead you can upload your photographs later, when you have more time.
Happy exploring & thanks for contributing to our Natural Resource Inventory!